Control

By: XMENobession

AN: I wanted to do another X-Men: Evolution story, since I don't know if I have it in me to finish the other. It's just not Evo enough. It's about Jean, a character I haven't really worked with before, but always found interesting. I hope you like it. READ & REVIEW!!!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing! Not the people, not the places, and definitely not the paper!

Chapter 1

"Jean, you have to stop this!"

Jean Grey sat up in bed and rubbed her head, trying to ebb away the nightmares. She pulled her knees up to her chest and shivered. Her dreams were becoming more vivid and terrifying. Something was trying to hurt her and the X-Men, but no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't stop it. The alarm clock read 6:15 and she decided to get up, though it was ahead of her normal schedule.

After getting dressed she went downstairs for breakfast, which hadn't been put out yet, so she helped to set the table. Then she sat and waited for the others to join her. There was food on her plate, but she didn't have much of an appetite. Ororo was humming in the kitchen as she brewed some coffee. The aroma entered the dining room and for the first time that day Jean smiled. She had never really liked coffee, even with an unhealthy amount of cream and sugar she found it too bitter, but she did enjoy its smell. It was a warm smell that wrapped itself around you and grounded you to the earth.

The other students finally descended the stairs, noisily as usual, breaking the morning's serenity that Ororo treasured. The weather witch let out a small sigh and entered the room with a hot pitcher in one hand and a smile on her face.

The students greeted Jean cheerily and took their seats. Though the places were not "assigned" there was an unspoken seating arrangement that no one dared break. Scott always sat next to Jean, on her left. One time Bobby sat there. No one knows what happened after breakfast that day, but Bobby never sat there again.

"Good morning, Jean," Scott said before he took his seat.

Jean looked up at him and replied quietly, "Good morning, Scott." She felt much better now. Maybe it was that her nightmare was receding to the back of her mind and the once horrifying images were becoming fuzzy, maybe it was seeing all of her friends happy and healthy, and in no immediate danger, or maybe it was Scott, he did always seem to have a calming effect on her. Whatever had done it, she was glad that her bad feelings were gone and she could begin to worry about more important things, like the algebra test she had that day.

"Scott," she began and turned toward her long-time friend.

Scott turned as well, his eyebrows perked in an 'accepting-all-questions' expression and a piece of egg on the corner of his mouth.

Jean giggled at the egg and motioned on her own face for him to wipe it off. As we all do, forgetting the rules of a mirror, he wiped the wrong side at first, making Jean giggle more. By the time he had fully cleared his face it was a bright shade of pink. "Y… yes, Jean?" he tried to recover himself. "Can I help you?"

Jean left her mouth slightly agape as she tried to remember her question. It was about algebra… or, wait… Her mind struggled to think of something, at this point anything, of interest to say. She almost settled for "nice sweater" when an even better thought came to her. "Have you ever had a recurring dream?"

Scott seemed surprised by this. "Um… no, I don't think so. No."

Jean looked at him questioningly. She didn't have to be a telepath to know when he was lying. "Are you sure?"

Scott knew he had been found out, but managed to keep his façade. "Well, I don't know… Maybe… Wait, yes. One, but I haven't had it in a while."

"What was it about, if you don't mind me asking?" Jean leaned toward him a little. She had always been very curious of the inner workings of Scott's mind; he kept so much to himself. She was tempted many times to use her abilities on him, but never gave in. Her conscience was too strong for that.

"Um… I would, but…" He gazed around the table self-consciously.

Jean knew that no one was listening to them, the others were too absorbed in their own problems, as usual, but she decided not to press him. "All right, maybe another time?"

"Sure," Scott replied, excited at the prospect of an arranged meeting with Jean. He even went so far as to say, "It's a date."

Jean smiled and began eating. She found it amusing how Scott found so many ways to be around her without ever having to ask her out. Amusing, but quickly turning into annoying.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Professor Xavier set his book down on his lap and shook his head lightly. He gazed about the room; his study was empty and motionless. He continued reading, only to be interrupted again by a pain in his head, as if a heavy object were pressing down on his brain. He called Ororo into the room and she arrived promptly. He told her about the pain and she chuckled lightly.

"Sometimes you forget that even the world's greatest telepaths get headaches. I'll bring you some aspirin and a glass of water," she said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"No, I don't think so," he replied seriously. "It feels like there's a… presence here. I can't quite describe it; it's cloaking itself, yet trying to make itself known at the same time." He sighed. "Maybe it is just a headache. I sometimes wonder if I overanalyze things like this."

"You just want to make sure we're all safe. It could be a foreign presence; in my years with you, Professor, I've seen stranger things, but just in case I'll go grab that aspirin."

"Thank you, Ororo," he said and listened as the door closed behind her, leaving him alone?